[POV: Atlas]
I kept my mouth shut. My hands at my sides.
Don’t provoke. Don’t speak.
Another one stepped forward slightly, his lip curled in amusement. “You’re fitting in real nice, aren’t you?”
His eyes slid over to Ava, to Kobe and Levi. “Got yourself a nice little pack of puppies to follow around. Must be nice. What do you do for them, sweetheart? Fetch their water? Roll over on command? Or do you just wag your tail and hope someone will give you a bone?”
A low chuckle spread through the others.
My gut twisted, cold and tight, but I said nothing.
Because I wasn’t like them. I didn’t have the rank. Or the bloodline. Or the safety of a name that meant something here.
I was barely tolerated. A rogue, a mistake waiting to be corrected. And these men? These were Draven’s soldiers. Trusted. Respected. Feared.
I was none of those things. I’d learned long ago that silence could keep you breathing. So I wore it like armor.
But then—
“He’s not your damn business,” Ava snapped, stepping forward.
Her voice cracked through the clearing like a whip, slicing clean through their laughter. All four guards turned to her, their smugness dimming for just a beat.
The one who had spoken first raised a brow, voice dripping with condescension.
“Didn’t realize you’d adopted a pet.”
Ava didn’t even blink. “Keep talking,” she said. “Maybe Alpha Draven will want to hear how his patrol unit spends their off-duty hours harassing young trainees like a pack of bored dogs.”
The man’s face twitched. Subtle. But I saw it.
“And if you think I won’t go straight to Aaron with this,” she added, stepping even closer, “then you clearly haven’t been paying attention.”
Silence. Thick. Tense.
It hung there like a storm cloud with nowhere to go. I stared at her, stunned.
Because Ava—sister of the Beta, born into power, someone who didn’t need to speak for me—just had. Without hesitation. Without even looking back to see if I was worth it.
She planted herself beside me like a wall. Like a line. And I had no idea how to breathe through the weight of it.
One of the guards finally cleared his throat. “We’re delivering a message,” he muttered, the edge in his voice dulled now. “Orders from Piper.”
My pulse jumped at her name.
“Outer border patrol,” he added. “You four are assigned to sweep the east line. Immediate departure.”
Levi lit up. “Seriously?”
Kobe’s eyes gleamed too. “That’s… not something trainees usually get sent to do.”
Exactly. Ava folded her arms. “Why?”
The man shrugged. “Change of pace. Your little friend here’s proven himself useful, apparently. And you pups could use some real terrain.”
“But outer territory assignments are usually for ranked patrols or second-years—” she started.
The guard cut her off. “We’re giving the cubs some air—letting them play grown-up between shifts,” he sneered. “And they’re already whining about it.”
His tone was dismissive and patronizing. Then, more firmly: “Orders are orders. Not up for discussion.” He turned, voice flat. “Be back by sunset. Full report expected.”
Then, just like that, they disappeared into the trees, laughter echoing faintly behind them.
A chill passed through me, though the sun was still warm on my back.
I glanced at the others.
Levi was already stripping off his shirt, grinning widely. “They won’t send us again if we screw it up. Come on—we’ll take the north trail and loop wide. Maybe we’ll even find something cool.”
Kobe gave a nod and shifted into his wolf, then took off after him with a burst of energy.
Ava lingered. She turned to me, her eyes sharper than before. “You coming?”
I offered a tight smile. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up.”
She studied me for a second longer. Then she shifted—sleek, fast—and darted off into the trees.
I waited until their pawsteps faded entirely. Then I turned and headed in the opposite direction.
I didn’t know what was waiting for me out there—not exactly. But I knew one thing for certain: a distant patrol route was the perfect excuse.
It gave me space. Distance. Silence. And it gave me freedom.
No one would question why I was far from the center of camp today. I could be seen out there. I could even meet someone out there.